27. April 2015 Press Release
Grand Opening Richard Wagner Museum Haus Wahnfried in Bayreuth
Photograph: RWM National-Archive, Post-card Haus Wahnfried, around 1915
Richard Wagner's ‘Haus Wahnfried’ and the Richard Wagner Museum Bayreuth are re-opening to the public. After almost three years of construction and 20-Million Euro investment in the restoration of Haus Wahnfried and the new Museum building the work has now reached it´s finishing straight. The project was made possible due to prestigious grants from the Federal State, State of Bavaria, as well as other public grant donors such as the Upper Franconia Foundation, the Bavarian ‘Landesstiftung’ and the ‘Landesstelle’ for non-governmental museums in Bavaria.
1
On 26 July 2015 Bayreuth and the Richard Wagner Foundation opens the new and most significant Museum of the City. The Museum in Haus Wahnfried, which first opened for visitors in 1976, will be presented anew with an extension and three thematically different permanent exhibitions. The Richard Wagner Museum doubled its permanent exhibition space with three substantive priorities in the future: Visitors will experience the most authentic place of documentation about the life, works and achievements of Richard Wagner in Haus Wahnfried.
The ground floor opens with a complete insight into the time around 1880 and the world of Richard Wagner for the first time. Many friends and celebrities were guests here. Documents from manuscripts and graphic collections from the National Archives will be presented in changing exhibitions on the mezzanine floor.
Architect Staab, Design of the New Building 2013
2
The extended building, designed from the well-known Berlin museum architect Volker Staab, is dedicated to the performance history of the Bayreuth Festival from its beginnings to the present. A collection of historical stage design models, costumes and requisites from the Bayreuth Festival Theatre will be presented here. The valuable collection can be seen in this diversity for the first time.
The rooms from Winifred Wagner in the Siegfried Wagner House will be entirety accessible to the public for the first time. The ideology history of Wagner is presented here. How he was used in the Third Reich, what relationship the family Wagner had to the National Socialists and with Adolf Hitler.
The whole ensemble of the Museum extends from the Richard-Wagner-Straße along the Avenue to the Haus Wahnfried, left the Siegfried-Wagner- Haus and right the new Museum's building with an underground depot, a cinema, special exhibition space, a museum shop and a cafeteria. The grave of Richard and Cosima Wagner is located at the end of the Garden to the Hofgarten.
Directly, on the nearby Wahnfriedstraße, is the death residence of Richard Wagner's father-in-law Franz Liszt that houses the Franz-Liszt-Museum as well as the Jean-Paul-Museum in Bayreuth.
We cordially invite you to the opening of the new Richard Wagner Museum and Haus Wahnfried. There are many possibilities for media representatives to obtain information about the currently most important museum project in Bayreuth.
GUIDED TOUR FOR THE PRESS: Friday, 24 July 2015, at 10 a.m. OFFICIAL OPENING CEREMONY: Sunday, 26 July 2015, at 11 a.m. EXIHIBITION TOUR: Sunday, 26 July 2015, at 2 p.m.
Location: Richard Wagner Museum, Richard-Wagner-Str. 48, 95444 Bayreuth. Parking available: ‘Stadthalle’ Badstraße.
Press: If you should need pictures and information (press folder) before 24 or 26 July 2015: Please contact us, (see contact data).
3
Information Opening hours Museum: Tuesday to Sunday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. (July-August daily 10 a.m. -6 p.m.)
Opening hours: Archive and Administration: Monday to Thursday 10 a.m. - 12 noon and 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. Friday 10 a.m. - 12 noon and with appointments.
Admission Fee Adults 8,- Euro
On presentation of a valid identification: Children and adolescents under 18 years, free School groups accompanied by at least 2 teachers, free Participants of the Bayreuth Festival, free Media representatives, free ICOM-Members, free Members of the German Museum Association, free
Combo-ticket (3 Museums, valid 3 days) 11,- Euro Annual Pass (not transferable to another person), 35,- Euro Group without guides: 10 persons price per person, 6,- Euro Tours in German: Group 10-25 persons, 60,- Euro, plus admission fee per person Guided tour in a foreign language: Group 10-25 Persons 80,- Euro, plus admission fee per person School children tours, 40,- Euro *Group under 10 persons, only on inquiry
Information on Themes, Children and Family tours: www.wagnermuseum.de
4
Renting You want to experience Wagner outside the opening hours of the Museum? You are looking for an enchanting and fascinating location? You want to spend an unforgettable evening in a unique atmosphere with your guests? You want to hold a lecture, give a small concert or something similar? Then invite your guests in the Haus Wahnfried.
The premises can be used for cultural events except in the opening hours of the Museum. Whether a special tour, an evening event, a reception, or a summer festival, the Richard Wagner Museum offers a unique ambience for your event.
Please contact us for further information! For all inquiries and personal advice: [email protected] or phone: 0049 (0) 921 – 75 72 80.
Getting there: Bus: Line 302 & 307, Bus Stop Wahnfried Car: Parking in the underground garage ‘Stadthalle’ (Jean-Paul-Str., Geißmarkt) or in Park-House in the Badstraße
Contact Richard Wagner Museum National-Archive: Richard-Wagner-Stiftung Wahnfriedstraße 2 95444 Bayreuth
Tel: +49 (0) 921 – 75 72 8 0 Fax: +49 (0) 921 – 75 72 8 22 Mail: [email protected] Web: www.wagnermuseum.de
Stadt Bayreuth Amt für Öffentlichkeitsarbeit & Stadtkommunikation Neues Rathaus, Luitpoldplatz 13 95444 Bayreuth
Tel.: +49 (0) 921 – 25 14 01 /- 04 Fax: +49 (0) 921 – 25 14 02 Mail: [email protected] Web: www.bayreuth.de
5